Vertical elevator



Jan, W, 19% P. DIEBOLD VERTICAL ELEVATOR Filed May 17, 1947 Patented Jan. 10, 1950 VERTICALIELEVATOR 'Pier'reDi'ebold, Nancy, France Y m rage. May'1'7, 1947",SerialNo.'48,831 In France July-111', 1:944 1 y Section 1, r

This invention relates to vertical or inclined elevators. It has for its object to improve such elevators with a view to preventing the choking at that part to which the grain or other material is fed.

It is a well known fact that when grain or the like is fed freely to the bottom end of the elevator, there may occur in consequence of an excessive feed or of a slowing down or stoppage of the endless belt a choking at the feed level that may lead to an increase in the power required or may even stop the elevator altogether.

In order to prevent this various devices have been suggested including a damper, a bucket wheel or a conveyor worm arranged in series with the elevator.

While such auxiliary devices may provide for a correct correspondency during normal operation between the volume of the grain fed to the foot of the elevator and the volume, they do not provide for the case where the output of the elevator is reduced. The output of a damper inserted in a conveyor channel is constant for a predetermined product. That of a bucket wheel or of a worm depends on their speed of rotation. To make their feed dependent on that of the elevator, the bucket wheel or conveyor worm are generally driven by means of a belt, chain or the like from the shaft of the drum at the intake and of the elevator. This leads to the following drawbacks:

The proper operation of the system depends on that of the mechanical connecting members between the conveyor belt or chain of the elevator and the bucket wheel or conveyor worm. These connecting members form a complication in the elevator, that is all the greater as these members must be protected against abrasive action or the attack of the material that is being conveyed.

The energy spent on the protecting device and its transmission members reduces the mechanical efilciency of the elevator.

According to the present invention, the regulation of the feed of a continuously operating elevator is effected simply by means of a slide valve so connected with the drum or chain wheel at the lower or feed end of the elevator as to follow the vertical movements of these parts.

The invention is illustrated in a diagrammatic manner by way of example in the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. l is a vertical section of the bottom end of such an elevator fitted with one embodiment of the invention.

mid-Law 696., August s, 194s Patent expires July 11, I964 g screens. (on mas-55) Y a Figs. 2 and 4 are similar views of two different modifications, while Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment.

As shown in Fig. 1, the endless belt or chain I of the elevator carrying buckets or scrapers 2 is weighted and held taut by a loose pulley 3 mounted on an axle 4. This axle is supported in collars or bushings 5 arranged to slide in vertical slideways 6 of the boot I of the elevator for the purpose of allowing permanent tensioning of the belt or chain I.

The tensioning itself may be effected in any known manner.

According to the invention, now, a gate I0 is arranged for synchronous movement in vertical or oblique direction together with the collars 5 carrying the pulley 8 in the boot of the elevator.

In Fig. 1 a connection between the gate in and the bushings 5 of the pulley 3 is established through arms H. The position of the bottom edge 12 of the gate [0 determines the gradient of the slope l3 of the grain or the like entering the elevator at I2.

In this manner the level of the grain being raised is perfectly defined with reference to the pulley 3. Whatever may be the rate of operation of the elevator, the level of the pulley 3 or the duration of the stoppage of the elevator, no clogging of the feed can occur since the resistance opposed to the buckets occasioned inside the material to be raised cannot exceed a predetermined value defined by the level of the bottom edge of the gate.

In order to allow for an adjustment of the output of the elevator the position of the gate I0 is preferably made adjustable. To this end, the gate H] is secured to the arms II through the agency of slideways l5 that allow an adjustment of the gate ID with reference to these arms and to the pulley in the boot of the elevator.

It is possible to use to this end a screw spindle 16 the level of which is held constant with reference to the arms I l by two stops I! or in any other suitable manner, the rotation of this spindle providing for the raising and lowering of a nut l2 fixed to the gate.

The spindle I6 has the form of a rod 19 with a square end 20, or with holes for a transverse pin for rotating the rod and screw arrangement.

Any other manner of adjusting the position of the gate with respect to the supporting arm ll may be used such as a pinion 2| and rack 22 shown in Fig.2. As shown in Fig. 3, the gate may be provided with an extension 23 formed 3 with perforations through which it may be held at any predetermined height by the pin 24.

It is also possible to connect the gate 10 with the arms H by means of a hinge 25 and to vary the position of the bottom edge of the gate and consequently the level of the grainor other material to be lifted, through a mere pivoting movement of the gate (Fig. 4).

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the details shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a vertical or inclined elevator, in combination, a vertically adjustable endless conveyor suspended in said elevator with its bottom end extending into the elevator boot, a feed chute ending in said boot, a sliding gate extending into the path of the material being supplied by said REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date '731,268 Benedict June 16, 1903 1,954,508 Winter Apr. 10, 1934 

